Five Phoenix Pizzas We Love

​They say New York and Chicago are the pizza towns, but here at Chow Bella, we beg to differ. It's just not fair to ask us to limit our list of favorite Phoenix pizzas to just five, so we'll be back soon with another five -- and who knows, maybe another five after that.

Leave us your suggestions in the comments -- and if you've shot your own pizza porn, let's see it! Email photos to amy.silverman@newtimes.com. If we use your photo, we'll send you some Chow Bella mints so you can freshen up, post-pizza.

5. A Mushroom Party from La Grande Orange Pizzeria

Let's face it, La Grande Orange, in-between downtown Scottsdale and the Camelback corridor, is an off-the-beaten path, one-stop shop for gourmet just about anything. While we love its dizzying array of olive oils, Tammie Coe treats, or a crazy-good coffee on the outdoor patio, it's the gourmet pizzas from the casual La Grand Orange Pizzeria that we think about the most -- like the aptly named A Mushroom Party. Loaded with three types of sautéed 'shrooms (crimini, button, and oyster), in addition to sweet onion and shaved fennel on a thin sourdough fermented crust, gourmet pie fans can watch the on-site pizza pros work their magic or, if the place is packed (and it usually is), take advantage of curbside service.

Naples-style pies aren't hard to come by in Phoenix, but most we've sampled have burnt bottoms or a center so thin that the cheese slithers away faster than makeup off our faces on a hot summer day. Cibo hits the mark others miss by crafting a thin-crust pizza that doesn't sag in the middle - or shed a ton of nasty orange grease. The Pizza Salciccia is especially noshable, with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce that smacks of the vine (not the can), and sausage crumbles with hints of fennel and anise.

At La Piazza al Forno, pizza means only one thing - Neapolitan. Thanks to homemade mozzarella and dough, San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy, and recipes from the old country, the Piazza family's been servin' up a tight selection of phenomenal Neapolitans since they opened their neighborhood eatery in downtown Glendale over three years ago. Our favorite? The Bianca, or white pizza. A garlic-lover's dream, the Bianca features fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and basil on a thin but sturdy crust with a soft interior and, thanks to a wood-fueled brick oven, a touch of savory smokiness.

We Recommend

While mostly everyone else is eating bread, and you are searching for news about their gluten free credentials from their chef your are starting to feel emptier and probably more frustrated. If you feed yourself before you leave or take some snacks with you, you will be ensured of being able to take your time at the gluten free restaurant.

When I found out I can't have gluten I was devastated. Pizza and pasta are my favorite foods on earth! When I found Picazzo's I was in heaven. Their gluten free pizza's beat many of the pies I had previously. They are fresh and yummy. They have a whole menu of gluten free foods which I can eat, including desert! My family also raves about their food and they eat the "regular stuff" they offer there. Everyone should try them! Yum!